It's been 'Oh, Henry' this season for Linn-Mar

MARION - He has gone from being a special teamer to just plain special.

"I actually didn't think about doing this much," Andy Henry said prior to Linn-Mar's football practice Sunday afternoon. "I'm grateful for this opportunity. I couldn't ask for anything better."

Neither could his team.

It's hard to believe the senior wide receiver skipped football completely as a sophomore. He considered himself strictly a basketball guy back then.

But Linn-Mar's football coaches were persistent and persuasive and coaxed him back last year. Though he saw little significant playing time (four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns). Henry stuck with it and has evolved into one of the state's top receivers.

His 967 yards and 18 touchdowns are Mississippi Valley Conference records almost assured to stand the test of time, considering district football seems an inevitability for next season. He is averaging over 20 yards a pop on his 48 catches, a guy with explosive speed and jumping ability that opposing defenses have found nearly impossible to contain.

Top-ranked Linn-Mar (10-0) hosts Cedar Rapids Washington in a second-round Class 4A playoff game Monday night.

"No doubt he has surpassed," said Linn-Mar Coach Bob Forsyth. "We thought he'd be a good player, but everything has worked out so well. It's good to see because he has worked hard at it."

"I knew I had to play the junior-senior role last year," said Henry, crediting his teammates, including outstanding quarterback Mark Atwater, for his success. "I knew my time would come this year. I prepared really hard over the summer, with weight lifting and speed school and everything with the whole team. I think that helped prepare me a lot."

As has growing maturity. School has not always been Henry's thing, and he was ineligible for part of Linn-Mar's basketball season last year.

But things have turned in that department. Not wanting to lose any part of this special football season has played a part.

"This is really fun, and I realize the importance of it. This made me buckle down a lot. A lot," Henry said. "The coaches talked a lot about that with me. My teachers have helped a lot with that. I started coming in and really started strapping down on that school stuff. The guys have helped me out with that, helped me out at school. (Teammate) Mitch Wantock's a smart guy, and he's helped me out, too."

Henry won't tip his hand about his future plans, but it's hard to imagine there not being room for him at some college at some level, if that's what he wants to do.

"I'm just waiting for the season to get over with," he said. "Then my decision will be made."